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07-14-23 City Manager Report1 City of Kalispell OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER Information Memorandum 7/14/2023 1. Public Works Solid Waste Division-Service Area The Solid Waste Division recently extended its services to include the Empire Estates, Blue Herron Estates, and Cottonwood Estates. Since the implementation on June 1, 69 customers from these areas have elected to received City Solid Waste service. The Solid Waste Division has been working diligently to ensure a smooth transition and seamless waste collection services for the newly added neighborhoods. Information on collection days and service areas can be found on the City’s website at Solid Waste Services & Collection Day Map | Kalispell, MT. Street Department Alley Paving Over the past two weeks, the Street Department successfully completed the paving of 18 alleys within our city limits. 2 2. Planning Department The Planning Board met on July 11 and held public hearings for two projects. The first is a conditional use permit for a parking lot expansion tied to Casa Mexico and the second is a 22-lot residential subdivision along Two-Mile Drive next to the bypass. Both projects will be on the August 7 City Council agenda. We have received an application for annexation and preliminary plat for 20 townhomes in a development called Lupine Meadows at the corner of Foys Lake Road and Valley View Drive. It is scheduled for the August 8 Planning Board meeting. 3. Building Department In the last 2 weeks, we have issued permits for 4 single-family homes. This brings the total of new single-family/duplex and townhouse units for the year to 40, compared to 107 last year at this time. There have been 379 multi-family housing units issued so far this year. Last year, at this time, we had issued 469 multi-family housing units. There were a total of 138 combined building and/or fire inspections completed in the last 2 weeks. Residential – 18 Plumbing – 7 Commercial – 27 Mechanical - 9 Electrical – 102 Fire – 65 4. Community Development On behalf of the city, Montana DEQ has contracted with NewFields, LLC to conduct a phase I environmental site assessment (ESA) at the Wye Track property west of Meridian Road. The phase I ESA is a step in the due diligence process. The report is expected to be complete by the end of July. 5. Fire Department From the period of June 28 to July 11, the Fire Department had 191 responses. Of these, there were 136 medical incidents, 3 Structure fires, 5 Motor vehicle accident with injuries, 15 Fire alarm activations-smoke scares, 6 public assists, 1 Haz-Mat incident, 5 grass fires, 3 unauthorized burning complaints, and 17 dispatched and canceled enroute. 3 Department members completed annual Wildland Firefighter training with MT DNRC. This entailed a morning classroom session and afternoon hands on training at the DNRC office/station. A structure fire occurred due to the use of Fireworks, resulting in home damage. Fireworks landed in combustible bushes, ignited the home siding and then traveled to the attic. Approx $80,000 to $100,000 in damage occurred. All Department members and administration staff completed required annual physicals. Crews met with Fair Staff and Management for pre-fair planning for emergency services. Kalispell Fire assisted in the U.S. Army 83rd CST from Ft. Harrison drill at Hungry Horse reservoir. This was a supportive role as being NW Montana’s regional Haz Mat team. The city administration, KPD, Fire Chief and Assistant Chief with members of Firefighters IAFF 547 and KPD Police Association have been working together for growth and future planning of emergency services delivery. 6. Parks and Recreation Empire Estates Park recently had the basketball court resurfaced. The surfacing will not only seal and protect the court, but it also gives a better footing for those utilizing it. Park Staff are working to repair the women’s restrooms at Lawrence Park after the toilets were destroyed by vandalism on July 4. New porcelain had to be ordered that would fit the existing plumbing. Fire Station 61 had a new concrete apron approach installed as the weight of the fire engines had compromised the original apron over time. KYAC staff are overseeding soccer fields and aerating all baseball, softball, and the new north fields. This is part of our off season and annual turf maintenance at the complex. 7v7 Adult Soccer has begun at the Kalispell Middle School fields. There are 12 teams in the league who play on Mondays and Thursdays from 6-9pm. Session 2 of Sports Camp will take place July 24-28 at Thompson Memorial Park from 9am-12:30pm. Registration will stay open until Friday July 21, at 5pm. We are entering the second week of the 3v3 Basketball league that takes place at Thompson Memorial Park on Wednesdays from 4:30-9:30pm. Summer is in full swing at Camp Woodland summer day camp program. We have a few 4 spots open, but the days are very limited. Our specialty summer camps are fast approaching! We have plenty of room in Zombie Survival Camp and Harry Potter Camp and Outdoor Adventure Camp. Woodland Water Park is open, and we are wrapping up our second session of swim lessons. Swim lessons take place Monday through Thursday with each session lasting 2 weeks. Lessons take place in the mornings from 9:45am – 11:40am and in the evenings from 4:20pm-6:15pm. There are 5 sessions of swim lessons total. Woodland Water Park is open to the public on Monday through Saturday from 12:00pm-4:00pm with evening swims on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30pm-8:30pm. We continue to hire and train lifeguards and will be opening an additional evening swim time on Fridays from 6:30-8:30 starting July 21. We have installed an iStrike lightning detection system at Woodland Water Park to enhance the safety of the facility. If a lightning strike is detected within an 8-mile radius of the pool, a siren will annunciate, and a strobe will flash. The strobe will continue to flash for 30 minutes and once that time-period has passed, it will announce that it is safe to return to the water. Parkside Credit Union was the “spotlighted” sponsor of the July 11 Picnic in the park and held an ice cream social dishing out free ice cream to the crowd. There are 12 concerts planned for the Picnic in the Park Concert series which takes place every Tuesday evening from 6:00- 8:00pm through August 18 and each Wednesday in July from 11:30am-1:30pm. Concerts are free to the public.